Exhibits a striking and robust wing morphology typical of the subfamily Arctiinae, with adult specimens achieving a wingspan ranging between 45 and 60 millimeters. The forewings display a dark background of deep brown to charcoal black, which is dramatically bisected by an oblique, cream-to-white transverse band and adorned with subtle light submarginal spots. In contrast, the hindwings present a vivid palette of bright yellow or deep orange, bordered by a wide and solid black margin, serving as a highly visible aposematic warning to potential avian and reptilian predators. The stout abdomen is adorned with alternating transverse bands of yellow and black, while the antennae are filiform in females and moderately bipectinate in males, optimized for detecting environmental chemical signals. The larval stage features a dense coat of dark, irritating bristles interspersed with orange or reddish markings along the dorsal region.

Geographical distribution: Occurs naturally across the temperate and subtropical regions of southern South America. It is widely recorded in Argentina (with prominent populations in the Pampas and Chaco ecoregions), southern and southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, demonstrating a high resilience across varied latitudinal gradients.

Habitat: Favors open ecological systems such as native grasslands, savannas, forest edges, shrublands, and transitional ecotones. Due to its high ecological plasticity, this insect is frequently encountered in anthropogenically modified environments, including urban gardens, agricultural fields, cattle pastures, and suburban green spaces rich in ruderal vegetation.

Feeding: Demonstrates distinct nutritional habits throughout its developmental stages. Adult specimens are nectar-feeding organisms that utilize their long proboscis to extract nectar from diverse flowering plants, refueling for flight and mating activities. Conversely, the caterpillars are highly polyphagous herbivores, consuming the foliage of various plants, with a marked preference for members of the family Asteraceae, particularly the genera Senecio and Bidens, from which they sequester toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids for chemical defense.

Behavior: Displays primarily crepuscular and nocturnal activity patterns, with adults being strongly phototactic and frequently drawn to artificial light sources. When confronted by a threat, this insect employs a dual defensive strategy: it rapidly flashes its bright hindwings to startle predators and can exude a noxious, toxic fluid from its protoracic glands. The larvae are solitary during their later developmental stages, relying heavily on their urticating hairs and warning coloration to ward off insectivorous birds and small mammals.

Reproduction: Undergoes a complete metamorphosis, transitioning through egg, larval, pupal, and adult phases. Mating behavior is initiated by the female through the release of potent volatile pheromones that attract males from considerable distances. Following successful copulation, the female deposits clutches of small, yellowish, spherical eggs on the abaxial surface of host plant leaves. Upon hatching, the larvae progress through several developmental instars before spinning a loose, silken cocoon incorporated with larval setae, typically situated in leaf litter or shallow soil crevices, where they undergo pupation before emerging as mature winged adults.

Conservation status: Has not been formally assessed by the IUCN Red List, but it is generally considered stable and of least concern due to its expansive geographic range, robust local populations, and adaptability to disturbed agricultural and urban landscapes.